Patents Examined by Wesley J Chiu
  • Patent number: 11223755
    Abstract: An image scanning, displaying and lighting system for eliminating color differences is revealed. The system includes an image scanner, a display screen with a second emission spectrum and a lighting device with a third emission spectrum. The image scanner consists of an optoelectronic image capturing and forming system, a plurality of first light sources disposed around the optoelectronic image capturing and forming system and a control module. The first light sources have a first emission spectrum which is a white light composed of a plurality of wavebands with different peak wavelengths. The control module controls the optoelectronic image capturing and forming system to take monochrome images in different colors in time sequence. The second emission spectrum has the same characteristics as the first emission spectrum while the third emission spectrum has the same characteristics as the second emission spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: eSHADE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yeh-Wei Yu, Ching-Cherng Sun, Tsung-Hsun Yang, Jia-Min Chuang
  • Patent number: 11218659
    Abstract: An image sensing device includes an image sensing circuit, a voltage supply grid, bitlines, and a control circuit. The image sensing circuit includes pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each one of the bitlines is coupled to a corresponding one of the columns. The voltage supply grid is coupled to the pixels. The control circuit is coupled to output at least a row select signal and a transfer signal to the rows. Each one of the rows is selectively coupled to the bitlines to selectively output image data signals in response to the row select signal and the transfer signal. Each one of the rows is further selectively coupled to the bitlines to selectively clamp the bitlines in response to the row select signal and the transfer signal. Each one of the rows is selectively decoupled from the bitlines in response to the row select signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Chengcheng Xu, Rui Wang, Bi Yuan, Liang Zuo
  • Patent number: 11202011
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a motion vector detector configured to detect a motion vector, a calculator configured to calculate angular velocity information of an object based on the motion vector and an angular velocity detected by an angular velocity detector, an acquirer configured to acquire a result of an image stabilizing control in capturing a still image based on the angular velocity information of the object, and a controller configured to control a display unit so as to display the still image and information of the result of the image stabilizing control superimposed on the still image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Seki, Hideya Takanashi
  • Patent number: 11190686
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a detecting unit configured to detect an object from an obtained image signal, an obtaining unit configured to obtain a variation amount of a focal length for reducing a size variation of the object detected by the detecting unit, and a correcting unit configured to obtain a blur correction amount for controlling an image stabilizer configured to correct a blur, based on the blur detected by a shake detector and the variation amount of the focal length obtained by the obtaining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hitoshi Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 11190688
    Abstract: An image blur correction device includes a motion detection unit and detects a motion of panning, tilting, and camera shake. A motion determination unit determines a motion of an imaging apparatus based on an output of the motion detection unit. A high-pass filter (HPF) removes a low-frequency component from the output of the motion detection unit and a low-pass filter (LPF) removes a high-frequency component from an output of the HPF. A swing-back time period detection unit detects a period of time during which swing-back occurs based on the output of the LPF and the output of the motion determination unit. A gain control unit controls a gain to be multiplied by the output of the LPF based on the output of the detection unit and the output of the motion determination unit. A subtraction processing unit subtracts an output of the gain control unit from the output of the HPF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryuichiro Yasuda
  • Patent number: 11178349
    Abstract: A lens-free imaging system for generating an image of a scene includes an electromagnetic (EM) radiation sensor; a mask disposed between the EM radiation sensor and the scene; an image processor that obtains signals from the EM radiation sensor while the EM radiation sensor is exposed to the scene; and estimates the image of the scene based on, at least in part, the signals and a transfer function between the scene and the EM radiation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Aswin Sankaranarayanan, Ashok Veeraraghavan, Lisa A. Hendricks, Richard Baraniuk, Ali Ayremlou, M. Salman Asif
  • Patent number: 11170514
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first acquiring unit capable of acquiring images of a plurality of view points, a second acquiring unit configured to acquire shape information of an object based on the images of a plurality of view points acquired by the first acquiring unit, a third acquiring unit configured to acquire material appearance information of the object based on a distribution of reflected light of the object obtainable from the images of a plurality of view points acquired by the first acquiring unit, and a generating unit configured to generate a file including the shape information of the object, the material appearance information of the object, and the images of a plurality of view points, acquired by the first to third acquiring units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masafumi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11165979
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate; pixels arranged two-dimensionally along row and column directions on the substrate; and one or more interconnection layers located on the semiconductor substrate, including a first signal line extending along the column direction and a second signal line to which a multi-level signal is applied. A first pixel includes: a photoelectric converter; a charge storage region; a first interconnection electrically connected to the charge storage region; and a first transistor that includes a first diffusion layer electrically connected to the first signal line and a second diffusion layer electrically connected to the second signal line and that outputs a signal to the first signal line. The first and second signal lines and the first interconnection are arranged in a first interconnection layer. The second signal line is located between the first interconnection and the first signal line, viewed perpendicularly to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Asami Nishikawa, Kazuko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11153485
    Abstract: Automated camera mode selection using local motion vectors is described. An image capture device includes an image metric estimation unit to detect a presence or level of an image metric in a scene of an image to capture based on image metric inputs, a motion estimation unit to determine a level of movement within the scene using ratios of histograms based on local motion vectors, a mode selection unit to select a camera mode for capturing the image based on outputs of the image metric estimation unit and the motion estimation unit, and an image sensor to capture the image according to the selected camera mode. The motion estimation unit computes a norm for each local motion vector, generates a histogram from the computed norms, determines movement metrics based on the ratios of histograms associated with different norm thresholds, and identifies the level of movement based on the movement metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Eva Coupeté, Etienne Terree, Adrien Cariou
  • Patent number: 11102436
    Abstract: Provided is a solid-state imaging device that includes a pixel array portion in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional array, an AD conversion unit configured to perform AD conversion with respect to a pixel signal output from the pixel of the pixel array portion, a memory configured to retain a digital pixel signal after the AD conversion, and an image signal processing circuit configured to perform predetermined signal processing with respect to the digital pixel signal. The image signal processing circuit includes two or more PUs including one or more PEs configured to execute predetermined arithmetic processing, and a CU configured to operate the PE in an SIMD format, an IMEM configured to store one or more arithmetic processing instructions, and a CCU configured to control the PU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sayaka Shida
  • Patent number: 11095806
    Abstract: A display control apparatus, comprises: a focus detection unit configured to detect, based on an image signal obtainable from an image sensor, a focus state and reliability of the image signal; and a display control unit configured to display in a display unit, when focus adjustment is performed by a manual operation, an index that indicates the focus state that was detected by the focus detection unit, wherein the display control unit changes a display format of the index according to the reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunori Ishii
  • Patent number: 11088185
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a polarizer array and a depth pixel array. The polarizer array may include first to fourth unit pixels, which are arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing each other, and may include polarization gratings respectively provided in the first to fourth unit pixels. The polarization gratings of the first to fourth unit pixels may have polarization directions different from each other. The depth pixel array may include depth pixels corresponding to the first to fourth unit pixels, respectively. Each of the depth pixels may include a photoelectric conversion device and first and second readout circuits, which are connected in common to the photoelectric conversion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Younggu Jin, Youngchan Kim, Yonghun Kwon, Moosup Lim, Taesub Jung
  • Patent number: 11082594
    Abstract: An imaging device used in, for example, a smartphone controls a blade to avoid remaining open after unauthorized external access or a drop impact. The imaging device includes an image sensor, a blade operable to switch between a closed state in which the blade at least partially blocks light incident on the image sensor and an open state in which light is incident on the image sensor, a blade driver that drives the blade, and a blade controller that controls the blade driver. The blade controller determines whether the blade is in the closed state in a non-imaging mode in which imaging is off, and when determining that the blade is in the open state, the blade controller controls the blade driver to close the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenzo Imai, Nobuaki Watanabe, Daisuke Kakemizu
  • Patent number: 11082625
    Abstract: An imaging system for generating a high dynamic range (HDR) image includes a pixel array that includes first pixels and second pixels, a driver circuit configured to control the first pixels based on a first exposure time and control the second pixels based on a second exposure time, an output circuit configured to output first pixel values of the first pixels and second pixel values of the second pixels from the pixel array, and a processing device configured to generate the HDR image based on a first Bayer image and a second Bayer image, where the first Bayer image is generated based on the first pixel values and the second Bayer image is generated based on the second pixel values and third pixel values of the first Bayer image. The quantity of pixels of the first pixels may be greater than the quantity of pixels of the second pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee Kang, Youngjun Song, Chanyoung Jang, Minkyu Sun, Junghoon Jung
  • Patent number: 11065653
    Abstract: A determining unit 31 determines an image region of a foreign material in an imaged image generated by an imaging unit 22 by using an imaging optical system 21. A setting unit 32 sets a pressure, injection time, an injection direction of air injected to the foreign material, an injection pattern obtained by combining them and the like based on a determination result. A foreign material removal processing unit 33 adjusts air injection by an air injection adjusting unit 331 based on the setting by the setting unit 32 and injects from an air injecting unit 332 to the imaging optical system 21 to remove the foreign material adhering to the imaging optical system 21. The air is injected according to an adhesion condition of the foreign material, so that the foreign material adhering to the imaging optical system may be optimally removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Tooru Kihira
  • Patent number: 11064097
    Abstract: A waterproof effect enhancing structure that can make an imaging apparatus compact. A camera unit including an imaging element, a rotation shaft that is a center of rotation of the camera unit, a bearing that rotatably supports the rotation shaft, a base member that supports the bearing, a presser member that is fixed to the rotation shaft, an ultrasonic motor that is disposed on a same axis as the rotation shaft, and has a rotor that is brought into pressure contact with the presser member, and a stator that is brought into pressure contact with the base member, and a waterproof unit disposed between the base member and the camera unit are placed in the imaging apparatus, and the camera unit, the waterproof unit, the base member, the ultrasonic motor, and the presser member are disposed in a rotation axis direction in this order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 11039095
    Abstract: Decrease of the frame rate is suppressed in a solid-state image pickup device that generates a frame having an increased dynamic range. A measurement section measures a reception light amount in each of a plurality of regions to generate a measurement result. A selection section selects one of a plurality of exposure periods different from each other based on the measurement result in each of the plurality of regions. An image data generation section performs exposure for each of the plurality of regions over the selected exposure period to generate image data. An image processing section adjusts a value of the image data generated for each of the plurality of regions based on the measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Ogawa, Masaki Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 11012600
    Abstract: A display device and a method for manufacturing the display device are provided. The display device includes: a display panel, including a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate, wherein the first substrate includes a single-substrate area beyond the second substrate; a display driving circuit electrically connected to the display panel; a lens assembly arranged at the single-substrate area of the first substrate and configured to collect light information; and an image sensor arranged at the single-substrate area of the first substrate, connected to the display driving circuit, and configured to receive the light information collected by the lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignees: BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhiyong Chen, Haiwei Sun, Jian Sang, Zhihui Zeng, Zongying Shu, Xiangyu Ji, Jinpeng Li, Wei Gong
  • Patent number: 11012614
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including a subject distance change determination unit configured to detect a temporal change of a distance from an imaging position to each subject present in an image and determine a tendency toward approach or recession of the each subject with respect to the imaging position on the basis of the detection, and a main subject determination unit configured to determine a main subject on the basis of the tendency toward approach or recession of the each subject determined by the subject distance change determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaya Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11006055
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an imaging device and a method for driving it that make it possible to create two kinds of images with less time deviation, and an imaging apparatus. The imaging device includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels is arranged, the pixel including at least a photoelectric conversion section that converts incident light into charge by photoelectric conversion and a charge accumulating section that accumulates charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion section. At least some of pixels in the pixel array perform an operation to transfer charge generated by the photoelectric conversion section to the charge accumulating section at different timings between adjacent pixels. For example, it is possible to apply the present technology to the imaging device, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toshinobu Sugiyama